Fire control systems typically have one or more diesel or electrical fire pumps to boost the water pressure to sprinkler heads attached to the system. Under normal operation, the sprinkler heads do not let water flow and thus the water is under a constant pressure. When a sprinkler head opens, the water pressure in the sprinkler system drops and trips a pressure sensor in a fire pump controller which in turn starts the fire pump so water may be delivered to the sprinkler or sprinklers to extinguish the fire.
The fire pump controller is thus connected to the fire pump to constantly monitor the pressure of the sprinkler system as well as possible alarm conditions from the system. Both during a fire and otherwise, the loss of water pressure and subsequent system pressure readings tell a great deal about the operation of the fire sprinkler system. In fact the monitoring of this data is required by the National Standard For Fire Pumps, NFPA20, which requires a pressure recorder on fire control systems. In the aftermath of the fire, the output recorder is used for evaluating system performance as well as loss analysis. Also, in order to maintain the reliability of the fire control system as well as provide warnings of possible deleterious conditions, the fire pump controller must be able to record pressure and alarm conditions during normal stand-by service. Furthermore, such records must be permanently kept for purposes of safety analysis.
In present systems, a paper recorder is connected to the fire pump controller. Present paper recorders have a plotting pen for recording alarm conditions and pressure data on a paper chart. The paper charts used in pressure recorders require weekly replacement. These recorders also require replacement of ink cartridges. Most recorders require the winding of a seven day chart drive spring movement. Additionally, the seven day charts are typically six inches in diameter which make them difficult to read. Data is typically lost due to a lack of chart replacement, running out of ink, or neglecting to wind the clock movement. Also, the recording may be unreliable as the plotting pens often blur or smudge the record when wide variations of recorded values occur in a relatively short period of time.
Another present method of recording pressure involves periodically printing numeric values on adding machine paper (typically once a minute). This rate is too often during stand-by and far too infrequently during a fire. This method requires paper replacement and also has some of the same problems as the recorder described above.
Finally, present recorders must be located in close proximity to the controller, making analysis and monitoring of fire control systems from remote locations difficult. Often, the paper charts or rolls are lost and with them the system's historical data, making analysis and evaluation impossible.
Thus, a need exists for a paperless recorder to provide a reliable and permanent record of pressure and alarm conditions from fire pump controllers. Further a need exists to provide a recorder which is capable of transmitting data for analysis to a remote location.